Hi All,I'm new to this forum so looking forward chatting about all thinks cycling! I've just turned 60, been a keen cyclist most of my life and in the last 12 years or so have achieved many life-long goals in cycling; mountains, end-to-ends, sportives, charity rides etc., I had my left hip replaced 5 years ago and was determined to get back into cycling, very little help or advice out there but in the 5 years to date managed to clock up over 6000 miles on my bike. Now I'm facing another operation for a hip replacement on my right hip.

I know I'm in a tiny minority - female, 60 years of age, long distance cyclist, two new hips! I am as determined as last time to get back on the bike as quickly as possible and already planning next years rides. It would be nice to hear from anyone who is in a similar situation.

Hello and welcome, you might not be as much in a minority as you think. Confess i have had no hips replaced but seen many of my cycling friends who have. You have come back from one so guess no reason why you will not come back from a second.

I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells

Hi,I'm 68; life time cyclist; had a hip replacement July 2015 (which became infected, leading to 20 months immobility); had the infected hip replaced again this January; had an ankle fusion during the 20 months inactivity. After the replacement (of the replacement) hip in January I was another 2 months before I was given the all clear to get back to cycling.

As you can imagine, after such a long time of immobility I'd lost a great deal of muscle, and had been frustrated. My legs were like matchsticks. And my first ride reflected this, being only 7 miles and leaving me with "jelly legs". However, I got back into it and within 8 weeks I was able to do a 50 mile run on a charity ride.

My surgeon has identified arthritis in the other hip, which is likely to need replacing eventually. I asked about the chances of having the same infection problems again. He said that any new replacement would simply be starting from scratch again, and that I could look forward to a standard replacement, with the expectation of cycling again in 6-8 weeks.

Perhaps a difference between us (apart from gender) is that I ride a recumbent (bike and trike) and so my initial rehabilitation was in the comfort of a hammock rather than a saddle. However, I also ride a semi-recumbent tandem, and I soon got comfortable again on the saddle (in fact more comfortable than when I had arthritis !)

So, my story is a positive one in terms of recovering my ability to cycle. It's all systems go, and my bucket list beckons. I'm sure you don't need my encouragement, but my outcomes have ultimately been good for me.

Hi there.I know this is an old thread but...While searching the web for advice on cycling after THR I happened to stumble upon this post.I'm 68 and have had both hips replaced back in 2015.Recovery was a bit tough as anyone having had one will know.As advised I started of slowly on a static bike and slowly built up the distance and time.Eventually ventured out on my MTB only managing about 5mls.To cut a long story short I now cycle 25-35mls on a road bike twice weekly rides which include up to 2500 ft of ascent.I've had no trouble with my new hips until recently when my right hip and knee have started giving me pain after every ride.I'm thinking it could be caused by me pushing too hard up the hills,some are 3mls, trying to beat my personal best times?I know cycling is recommended as being non weight bearing,but wondered if any fellow hippies out there have had a similar experience.Thanks Paul

You might try seeing a sports physio in the first instance. What's happening may have nothing to do with the hip problem, but they should be able to tell you if it is, and if not, where the trouble is, and maybe even what is causing it. And they don't always cost a lot, and can be much faster to get an appointment with than a GP, let alone an NHS physio, which can take months. Main thing is they should understand what specific muscles etc. you are using as a cyclist and where the stresses are. And they should send you to your GP if you need x-rays etc.

Subject to that, it might be worth looking at the bike setup too. If you are given the all-clear on the bone side, then there are people out there who will do an analysis of your setup for you.

I was cycling a few weeks ago down in West Cornwall, and met up with a rider whilst on my way towards St Ives. We chatted as we rode along. He was 67 and had two new knees and a new hip.

I was impressed ......... to say the least ............... and he said that his specialist advised him to keep cycling as it strengthens the muscles without straining the joints. Having a strong musculature is the way forward for replacement joints.

As a youngster I used to ride occasionally at the weekend with Percy Stallard,(the Father of UK Road Racing. )He was on his third hip replacement, having worn on out cycling. He was fine on the bike but had to use a stick off it.So I'd say take it steady but keep on keeping on !

Flinders wrote:You might try seeing a sports physio in the first instance. What's happening may have nothing to do with the hip problem, but they should be able to tell you if it is, and if not, where the trouble is, and maybe even what is causing it. And they don't always cost a lot, and can be much faster to get an appointment with than a GP, let alone an NHS physio, which can take months. Main thing is they should understand what specific muscles etc. you are using as a cyclist and where the stresses are. And they should send you to your GP if you need x-rays etc.

Subject to that, it might be worth looking at the bike setup too. If you are given the all-clear on the bone side, then there are people out there who will do an analysis of your setup for you.

All good advice,thanks.I've since experimented with saddle height and have finally settled on reducing the height by 5mm which doesn't seem much but has made a big improvement.Also cut back on the longish climbs which were a bit to much of a grind and find this has also helped.What I have discovered with a little researching is that with the posterior approach hip replacement I had they cut through the gluteus to reach the joint and most patients lose 10-15% muscle strength in the affected muscles,not sure it's true for everyone,but does seem to be for me.Good luck to all fellow 'hippies'Til I started looking never realised the large number of folks on here cycling with prosthetic hips and knees.

When I enquired about having both hips replaced at the same time, the consultant refused to consider it.

Sorry I didn't make it clearer.I had the 2nd one replaced about 8 months after the 1st,but both done in the same year.I know of a few folks who had bilateral THRs,but it's fairly unusual and recovery must be really tough.A single replacement is a major op,both hips at the same time is something I wouldn't contemplate.As I think I said if you need hips replacing I recommend getting them done asap...it's a total life changer,the 4-6 months rehab passes pretty quickly,then it's a new lease of life back on the bike.Don't leave it to long,the younger you are the faster your recovery will be.

I had one done in 2012 and am on the list (since October 2017) for the other one to be done. It's actually the Birmingham hip.You still get cut open and a foreign implement inserted inside you and rehab and recovery is still the same.

I am a 63 yr old female cyclist and took up riding 5 years ago after I was told that I needed hip replacement after being a runner for years. I was upset that I could no longer run, but my daughter encouraged me to start riding as I needed to wait a year as in Australia I needed to be in a health fund top cover as we only had medium cover. So for that year I started riding and found it helped so much with the pain management as I was strengthening my muscles. I waited until 3 months after surgery before riding again and now at 63 I am heading over to France in June to ride with a group of MAMILS and yes I am the token female. We will be riding Mont Ventoux. I will give it a go! Living in Sydney we drive to Geelong each year as I ride in the Cadel Evens classic along the Great Ocean Road (hubby is the support!!) I have been told by my surgeon that my other hip is bone on bone & yet I still have no pain & have full mobility.... so I will not be back under the knife.... not yet.

I feel inspired when I read other cyclists stories of returning to cycling after hip or knee replacements and would love to have more females take up riding, especially my generation!

Bernadette wrote:I am a 63 yr old female cyclist and took up riding 5 years ago after I was told that I needed hip replacement after being a runner for years. I was upset that I could no longer run, but my daughter encouraged me to start riding as I needed to wait a year as in Australia I needed to be in a health fund top cover as we only had medium cover. So for that year I started riding and found it helped so much with the pain management as I was strengthening my muscles. I waited until 3 months after surgery before riding again and now at 63 I am heading over to France in June to ride with a group of MAMILS and yes I am the token female. We will be riding Mont Ventoux. I will give it a go! Living in Sydney we drive to Geelong each year as I ride in the Cadel Evens classic along the Great Ocean Road (hubby is the support!!) I have been told by my surgeon that my other hip is bone on bone & yet I still have no pain & have full mobility.... so I will not be back under the knife.... not yet.

I feel inspired when I read other cyclists stories of returning to cycling after hip or knee replacements and would love to have more females take up riding, especially my generation!

Yet another enlightening and inspiring tale. Thanks, Bernadette. Good luck on Ventoux.Like you, I was frustrated at having to stop running. But, cycling continued to be pain free, right up to the time that I could no longer stand still (eg in a supermarket queue) or walk on any thing but firm, even, horizontal ground. But, even then, once I got on the bike (a recumbent) I could pedal away to my heart's content. Having had one hip done, I'm told that the other is not looking good. But, apart from some lack of flexibility, it's fine and I'll put off further surgery until the standing/walking thing gets too bad again. I'm 69. I'm aiming to plan it right that I'm still on my bike and trike until they have to lift me off and put me in a box!!

Bernadette wrote:I am a 63 yr old female cyclist and took up riding 5 years ago after I was told that I needed hip replacement after being a runner for years. I was upset that I could no longer run, but my daughter encouraged me to start riding as I needed to wait a year as in Australia I needed to be in a health fund top cover as we only had medium cover. So for that year I started riding and found it helped so much with the pain management as I was strengthening my muscles. I waited until 3 months after surgery before riding again and now at 63 I am heading over to France in June to ride with a group of MAMILS and yes I am the token female. We will be riding Mont Ventoux. I will give it a go! Living in Sydney we drive to Geelong each year as I ride in the Cadel Evens classic along the Great Ocean Road (hubby is the support!!) I have been told by my surgeon that my other hip is bone on bone & yet I still have no pain & have full mobility.... so I will not be back under the knife.... not yet.

I feel inspired when I read other cyclists stories of returning to cycling after hip or knee replacements and would love to have more females take up riding, especially my generation!

Yet another enlightening and inspiring tale. Thanks, Bernadette. Good luck on Ventoux.Like you, I was frustrated at having to stop running. But, cycling continued to be pain free, right up to the time that I could no longer stand still (eg in a supermarket queue) or walk on any thing but firm, even, horizontal ground. But, even then, once I got on the bike (a recumbent) I could pedal away to my heart's content. Having had one hip done, I'm told that the other is not looking good. But, apart from some lack of flexibility, it's fine and I'll put off further surgery until the standing/walking thing gets too bad again. I'm 69. I'm aiming to plan it right that I'm still on my bike and trike until they have to lift me off and put me in a box!!

That's the spirit..having a positive mental attitude is probably the fastest way to post op recovery.I'm 69 in May and I to am hoping for many more years on the bike

I am 68 and had my total hip replacement 8 weeks ago today. I've been a keen, perhaps obsessive sport person all my life, which is what earned me the worn hip. But it also instilled in me the desire to get going after injury. My consultant and physio gave what seems to be the usual advice. Get moving straight away, follow the exercises, OBEY the articulation restrictions strictly and Don't overdo it. The latter was the most difficult!!! As for cycling, certainly ok after 12 weeks but if I was to try riding my bike earlier then be careful on bike set up DO NOT infringe articulation rules and take it easy!!I recovered quickly from op, was walking easily on one stick by the six week appointment and discharged by surgeon and physio.at that point. My walking has steadily increased to the point where I did a walk of 3km yesterday and total steps for the day of just over 9000. I am setting up my mountain bike on the turbo as its a bit more comfortable than road bike with a more upright position. I plan to start on very light sessions at the 9week point and see how I feel. Keep you posted.